The Reverse Series: The Beginning
by Silver-Shelter
Summary: After Cell is defeated, everyone knows the truth and gives the credit to Gohan. Now, Gohan is going to High School. GV Chapter Five
1. What A Comedy

Summary: What if Hercule didn't take credit for defeating Cell? Now everyone knows Gohan beat Cell. Gohan still goes to High School, but everything's different. G/V.

You know, I'm a little disappointed. I mean, I know that a lot of people have moved on, but I thought I would have at least gotten _two_ reviews for DBZ Trap! Oh, and fireeyes, if you're reading this: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU SO much! J You are my only reviewer and I am very grateful.

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ.

Chapter One

The blue-eyed girl picked up the morning paper and almost dropped it. The headline read:

Son Going to Orange Star High School

Videl eyed the paper warily. 'Great', she thought, 'More stuck-up rich snobs.'

"Ok, Mom!" yelled the teenaged saiyan, "I'll be back around four!"

"You better!" replied his mother, "Or else you'll be in big trouble!"

But Gohan was already flying out the door, ignoring the random camera flashes. 'Great', he thought, 'More cameras.'

"Class", Mrs. Khuddah clapped her hands (A/N: That was for everyone who knows how to speak Arabic. Tee-hee.), "I'm honored to introduce Son Gohan, the young man who defeated Cell!"

And in came Gohan, his eyes as black as his hair. He was taller than most of the boys his age, wearing black pants and a white, long-sleeved shirt with the Orange Star High logo, his backpack hanging carelessly over one shoulder.

He waved at his fellow classmates, who just stared at him in awe until they burst into applause. He grinned nervously and put a hand behind his neck. He looked around the class room, and noticed one girl wasn't clapping, or even looking at him. Random black strands of hair escaped from her pony tail and hung in front of her face. She was reading something, and by the looks of the big, dusty, brown leather cover, it was _old_.

Then he noticed the short haired blonde sitting next to her, waving franticly at him. He waved back and she let out a yelp of joy. She nudged the girl next to her, who finally looked up.

She was beautiful.

His teacher's voice brought him out of his reverie, "Now, Sharpener, would you be so kind as to show Mr. Son around the school some time today?"

Gohan saw that Sharpener was also sitting next to the dark-haired girl. He had a trace of cockiness in his voice as he spoke, "Why, of course, Mrs. Khuddah."

Mrs. Khuddah directed Gohan to sit next to Sharpener. As she went on with the lesson, Sharpener introduced himself and others, "I'm Sharpener, as you already know. That's Erasa over there", he pointed to the girl who waved to him before,"I'll let you meet a couple of my other friends at snack and lunch."

Gohan frowned slightly, "What about her?" he inquired the other girl, whose head was bent over her paper once again. He looked her over. She was wearing fingerless gloves, ripped jeans, and a black tank top over a baggy white t-shirt. She had multiple piercings on both ears, and had a small locket which hung around her neck. She turned a page.

Sharpener flipped his long blonde hair over his shoulder as his green eyes narrowed. He ripped out a piece of paper from a note book and wrote something on it. He handed the note to Gohan, who read:

_She's known as the Ice Queen. Her real name's Videl Satan. Erasa and I are her only friends, but she barely talks to either of us anyway. So don't bother with her, because she doesn't care who you are, or who you defeat. Trust me._

Gohan wrote back:

_Why is she like that?_

Sharpener: _No one knows the real reason, but there have been rumors. People say she's a spoiled brat and she thinks she's better than anyone else. I know that's a lie. Other people say she's a spy from an enemy country. That's a lie too._

He paused, and then wrote:_ I hope._ That made Gohan laugh.

'Are all schools like this?' Gohan thought as random people pushed and shoved in the hallways. He finally made up his mind to dive into the organized stampede. He was soon going in the direction he wanted to, which was good, until he felt something bump into him.

Or someone.

He looked down, and there was that girl. 'What was her name?' he thought, 'Oh, yeah Videl.'

':Say something, you dolt:'

"Oh", he finally mumbled, "Sorry."

':Good job, idiot:'

He held out a hand to her, but she pushed away, grumbling, "Whatever", as she stood up.

He still had his outstretched hand to her as he said, "I'm Gohan."

But she had already turned around and walked off. She didn't seem to notice that her book, the one she was reading earlier, was on the ground. Gohan had, however, and picked it up. He opened it, and his eyes widened at the contents.

At lunch, Gohan had memorized a total of twelve names. Sharpener planned on making Gohan one of his gang, and he is very stubborn when it comes to his plans.

"You got to know the right people", the jock told Gohan, "You could've ended up with some crackpots if I wasn't here."

"Doubtful", Gohan replied, "Very doubtful."

Sharpener just shrugged and told Gohan where he'd be sitting during lunch, and left him to get his lunch from his locker.

For the third time that day, Gohan saw Videl. She was sitting under a tree, writing something in a notebook while eating her lunch. Gohan grabbed his own lunch, which was currently in a capsule, and walked over to join her.

When he sat down in front of her, Videl said flatly, "Can I help you?" She didn't look up.

"Why are you sitting alone?" he blurted out, not realizing what he said until she looked up at him.

"I believe that's none of your business", she said and went back to writing.

"But, don't you know who I am?"

"I know who you are. You're the guy who defeated Cell", she looked up at him, her blue eyes hiding her feelings well, "Let me get out my autograph book", she said, her sarcasm shocking Gohan. She continued, "Look, I apparently don't care who are. Does that settle your undying curiousity, or do I have to find a new place to eat my lunch?"

Gohan's jaw dropped. He's never met such a rude person in his life! The only people that were this mean to him were villains, but he doubted Videl was a threat…

He checked her ki. It was very strong for a human. Not as strong as Krillin, but she would probably be able to hold her own against Yamcha for a round or so. "You're a fighter, aren't you?" he asked slowly.

"Why are you still here?" she hissed, "Can't you hang out with Sharpener or someone else with as much naïveté as yourself?"

His eyes narrowed as Gohan pulled out the book she had dropped earlier. He read the title

"_The Divine Comedy_," Gohan noticed with some satisfaction that she finally looked at him. He didn't sense the alarm in her eyes, however, as he continued to speak, "Dante, right? This is some heavy stuff. I mean, we are seniors and all, but this is college material." Gohan didn't notice his voice waver with glee, "I thought I was the only one who wanted to read this. You won't believe how hard it is to find someone with good taste…"

He trailed off, realizing he was babbling, and chose that moment to look at her for some trace of the same excitement he felt of knowing that someone understood you.

When he looked up, Gohan felt like smacking himself. Videl was massaging her temples, like she had a headache. "Gohan…" she said weakly, as if asking for strength, "The only reason why I'm reading that dumb book is so I can get into a good college. I'm sorry if I got your hopes up, but to be honest with you, I think that book is the most worthless thing in the whole world."

Gohan sighed with grief. Well, it wasn't like it happened before. He only wished for the hundredth- no, the _thousandth_ time- that his mother didn't teach him so he could read on college level at age ten. He could count all the times people couldn't keep up with him when he discussed his theories of life after death and self-discovery through subconscious states. It was just so-

"-frustrating," Videl was saying, "Isn't it? To think you've finally met someone you could hold a decent conversation with when it's all a lie," she smiled sardonically, "Welcome to my world." She gestured to the students currently eating lunch, students who were oblivious of Videl's disappointment. And now Gohan's.

Before Gohan could reply, he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Sorry, Vi," Sharpner's voice could be heard, "I tried to tell him you wanted nothing to do with him, but he just didn't want to listen."

"It's alright," Videl said, standing up and gathering her things, "I think I handled it pretty well."

She snatched the book from Gohan's grip and walked away.

Gohan was still looking at her retreating form when she turned around and looked at him. She gave him a searching look, then walked inside the school.

TBC!

Well, what do ya think? It seems kinda iffy to me. Oh, and _The Divine Comedy_ is such an _awesome_ book! I've only read the first ten cantos or so, but it's still really good! It's hard though, so if you're a simple fifteen-year-old like me, you might just wanna pick up Bloom's notes. Ok, tell me what you think!

P.O.G.

Bye-Z!


	2. The Dress

Wow, um… wow. I got so many reviews! This is amazing! I mean, I first wrote the summary, and I was like, "Man, people won't be interested in this story!" but you were! Wee! Thank you very much.

A/N: I didn't explain how the story is set up before, sorry. Ok, _The Reverse Series_ consists of four sections: "The Beginning", "Love Life", "Reunion", and "Finale". I'm sorry, but in "The Beginning", Gohan and Videl don't necessarily hook up. They do that in "Love Life". However, this section is, obviously, the beginning of their relationship. So, sorry if I got your hopes up. This section will probably only have six chapters or so.

Sheik's twin: LoL, that's ok, I didn't know what 'TBC' meant for a while either. It means "To Be Continued."

Kin Kawaii: That was an, um… interesting conversation. I'm glad all three of you liked it…

RyukoGirl: Not that I mind, but did you read every one of my stories? LoL, I get these reviews from stories I haven't updated in years, and I'm like "Wow, this person must really like my work." So, I'm very happy that you decided to read my other stories, and I'm glad you liked them. Thank you!

Hippiechic: I went back to see what you meant by "rushed" and I noticed that the borders I typed in to separate different settings had mysteriously disappeared. Maybe that's why you thought it was rushed. Or maybe not. Oh, and don't worry about giving out criticism. As long as it's constructive and polite, I really don't mind. Actually, I need all the help I can get! So if you have any more tips, I'd be very grateful. Thanks.

SSJ3MysticGohan: Yeah, see, I did put borders between the parts where Gohan bumps into Videl and when he goes outside, but for some reason they didn't show up on the site. Sorry. I'll try to come up with more… visible borders.

chimney leaf: You know what, maybe I will continue with my deadbeat stories. Because, honestly, I do like them. It's just that I get writer's block a lot and that kind of ruins the story. But you are very kind. Thank you.

To all those who reviewed: Thanks a million!

A lot of you mentioned that you liked The Divine Comedy. I think that's awesome!

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or The Divine Comedy.

Chapter Two

"C'mon, Gohan! Come to the mall with us!" Sharpner pleaded, his friends cheering in agreement.

Gohan grinned nervously and put a hand behind his head, "Ok, but I gotta call my mom first." Gohan waved to his new friends as he walked off to find a pay phone, "I'll be right back. Wait here, please."

As soon as he was out of earshot, Gohan's friends started talking amongst themselves. "Son Gohan? World hero? Asking his _mom _for permission?"

"Hey, shut up!" Erasa cried, her green eyes narrowing in an attempted death glare (A/N: LoL, I wrote that Sharpner had green eyes, and someone told me he had brown. So, Erasa does have green eyes, right?). "You have no right to make fun of a perfectly nice boy."

The others looked shamefaced and scuffed their feet on the ground. The rest simply hid their grinning faces as Gohan came rushing back, saying, "My mom says it's ok, but I gotta be home by eight."

Sharpner's tanned cheeks suddenly looked flushed. 'Oh, man, Gohan, do you know how much of a mama's boy you look right now?' he thought with enough embarrassment for the both of them. "Uh, sure, Gohan," Sharpner muttered, and the group headed towards the mall.

OoOoOoOoOoO (A/N: that's a border, just so you know.)

The large group of friends all huddled around the car racing game at the arcade. It was Sharpner versus Erasa.

The high school kids laughed when Erasa took up Sharpner's challenge, joking that Erasa had never driven a car in her life, or even been in one for that matter. But they all quickly shut their mouths and watched in awkward silence as they saw Erasa in the lead by a lap.

Gohan, never having taken must interest in games or cars, (being able to fly and all) started looking around and spotted a familiar classmate across the way.

She was in front of a shop that was opposite the arcade and she held a rather large box with both hands. She was looking at something in the store window. Gohan followed her gaze and noticed it was a dark blue evening gown.

Gohan looked back at Videl and noticed she was staring at the dress with a sense of longing. The whole scene looked rather peculiar. From what Erasa told him, Videl was the type of girl to go out for the guys' football team and make every position with top ranking. But now, looking at her gaze at the dress as if she wanted to wear it, made all of Gohan's thoughts on Videl the tomboy completely vanish.

It was a clean slate from now on, Gohan promised.

Without realizing what he was doing, Gohan walked out of the arcade and towards the unsuspecting window shopper.

'You shouldn't do this,' he thought, but still not stopping, 'Just leave her alone. She doesn't like you.'

But Gohan wasn't really listening to his thoughts as he said, "The dress matches your eyes." He almost flinched when he saw Videl go rigid and dropped the box out of surprise. 'Good job, you idiot. I try to warn you, but you make a fool of yourself anyway.'

Videl cursed and started to pick the box up, but Gohan beat her to it. Videl glared at him as he straightened, but looked back at the dress and said, crossing her arms, "I hate dresses. And proms."

"Really?" Gohan asked in disbelief, utterly confused. He thought of Bulma and his mother and every other human female he knew, "But I thought all women liked dresses. Well, at least the ones I know," Gohan explained.

"Well, _I_ don't," Videl said so firmly, Gohan didn't believe her. He grinned inwardly. She looked at the dress again, not noticing Gohan trying to conceal his amusement, "I was just thinking about all the stupid girls who wear those things. I mean, who wants to get gussied up like a Barbie doll just for a _guy_?"

Gohan ignored the slur about the importance of men as he replied, "Well, what about a guy they love?"

Videl scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, right. I don't believe in love. Besides, even if I did want the dress, and _only_ if," Videl paused, and said softly, "I couldn't afford it."

Videl stiffened. Wait, what was going on here? Did she just open herself up? And worse, did she just open up to _Son Gohan_? Something must be wrong. She had to get out of there before she said something else that might embarrass her in the future.

She sighed and looked at Gohan, "Can I have my box back?"

Gohan looked startled. He was so surprised to hear more than a sentence from Videl that he forgot he was holding her box. He was also surprised that Videl actually talked to him without calling him a name or saying anything harsh about him. He got the feeling that she enjoyed talking to him, even thought it was for a split second and he was too shocked to realize it before. Gohan still smiled however and said, "Oh, yeah. Well, why don't I help you carry it out to your car?"

Videl narrowed her dark blue prom dress eyes at him and said, "No, just give me the box."

"Are you sure? It wouldn't be any trou-"

"_Now_, Gohan," Videl snapped.

Gohan looked at her. Was that amusement that flickered across her graceful yet stern features?

Gohan sighed, grinning slightly, and gave Videl her box.

TBC!

Woo-hoo! Ok, just so you know, I probably won't be able to update for about a week, so don't get your hopes up. Thanks again for the reviews. cringes I hope you like this one. Sorry if it isn't long or ain't that good.

P.O.G.

Bye-Z!


	3. Horses

Hi everyone! As I promised, here is the next chapter. This chapter might be a little… unnecessary, but when you read the next chapter, hopefully you'll see the importance of the third chapter.

Oh yeah, and a little insider scoop into my personal life 'cause I have to tell someone: I _love_ my English class! It's so fun, and you can debate about themes and you can discuss world issues and joke around (and it doesn't hurt that the student teacher is totally hot! ;) ) Ok, sorry, I had to say that.

To all those who reviewed: Thanks a billion!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ!

Chapter Three

Working at the stables had its advantages, Videl admitted freely. For example, being near animals always calmed Videl's nerves. She loved how simple and controlled animals' lives were, unlike her own life. They didn't have to worry about being accepted or finding a friend. Videl shook her head as she entered the building next to the horses' stables.

':Stop thinking about that:' her conscience yelled at her, ':So what if they don't like you? Who needs 'em? If they can't accept you for who you are, then they're a bunch of airheads. You're better off without them:'

'But the problem is, Ididn't even _try_ to show them who I really am,' Videl thought, trying to figure out exactly why she was so alone in life, 'I just ignored them and now… I don't have anyone…'

':So if you dug your own grave, as you claim, why are you complaining?;'

VIdel sighed and refused to think about the matter anymore. That was that. It's over. She's a senior, and there's no use trying to start anew. 'I'll meet plenty of people in college.'

':That's the spirit:'

She entered her boss's office without knocking, knowing it pissed him off. This fact was confirmed as she heard, "Videl, how many times do I have to tell you to _knock_? It's really not that hard!"

Kei Freddy got up from his seat at his desk and walked over to his open door, "Here, I'll show you." He stepped outside his office and closed the door. Videl heard her boss clear his throat and say in a high-pitched voice, which Videl guessed was supposed to hers, "Oh, Mr. Kei? It's me, Satan Videl. I am here for my duty as a guide. May I please come into your lovely office and write in the time I got here so you can pay me properly for my hours?" Then he knocked rather loudly and opened the door. He stepped into his office and looked sternly at his employee of two years, "See, it's not that hard," he repeated.

Videl had to suppress a grin. He was such a drama queen. She then noticed his disheveled brown hair and the bags under his grey, bloodshot eyes. His shirt was wrinkled and his tie was in no better shape. She suddenly felt bad. She felt as if being insubordinate pushed him over the edge. She looked at him with concern, "Are you ok, Freddy?"

Freddy sighed and walked around his desk to sit again, "I don't know, Videl. There are so many bills…" He cradled his head in his hands and Videl heard his muffled voice say, "If I can't find a way to pay for all of them, I might have to sell the stables."

Videl felt as if her heart was breaking. To see her boss and friend in such a state and the thought of never seeing the horses again just made her feel-

"-hopeless," Freddy was saying, "It's completely hopeless." (A/N: whoa, I think I used that phrasing in another one of my stories… hmmm… I'm not very original… oh well!)

"Don't worry, Freddy," Videl heard herself say as she placed a hand on her boss's shoulder, "You'll keep the stables. I'll make sure of that."

Freddy gave a crude snort. An eighteen-year-old? Saving _his_ stables? Yeah, when pigs fly.

"Thanks, Videl," Freddy said softly, still not looking up. He waved a hand at her in dismissal, "Now go out there and do your duty as a guide."

Videl contained a laugh at his choice of words. Honestly, how corny was her boss?

She walked over to the sign-in sheet on the wall next to the door and wrote in the time she arrived at the stables. "Who do I have first?"

Freddy sighed and took away his hands from his face. He looked down at the paper in front of him and read, "You got a group of newbies. Twelve to be exact."

Videl groaned. 'Newbies' was a term used for people who have ridden once, twice, or never in their whole lifetime. "Freddy, why do _I_ have to take them? Why not get a new employee, like Nick?" As much as she loved working at the stables, she definitely despised her boss.

"Because Nick still has to figure out how to work the register," Freddy responded quickly, obviously finding some enjoyment in tormenting his favorite employee. He noticed her death glare and said, "You'll be fine. Just a quick trip around the path and you'll be back in one piece in no time." He took hold of the girl's shoulders and led her outside of his office. Just before closing the door, he said, "And knock next time!"

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Working at the stables also had its disadvantages: Videl's boss, for one. And newbies, for two. Videl stepped outside and froze when she saw them. It was the popular group from OSH, including Gohan.

Videl groaned once again. After so many attempts to finally stop thinking about Gohan, there he was, joking around and smiling that cute smile.

':Geez, Vi, you're going soft. The guy's only been here for a month and you're already falling head over heels for him:'

'Shut up!'

"Can I get everyone's attention please?" Videl called out to the group of people she disliked the most (with the exception of Erasa, Sharpner, and yes, even Gohan.)

Everyone quieted immediately and looked at her. Videl heard someone mutter, "What's the Ice Queen doing here?"

Videl chose to ignore the comment and continued, "If you'd all line up in single file over here, we can get you on your horses. But first, some rules and safety tips, then we'll be on our way."

After Videl went over the guidelines, she put the popular group on their horses and told them to wait until she said it was ok to go. As Videl coaxed the horses to her, she thought they gave her looks of sympathy. When Sharpner got his horse, he smiled at her and she smiled back. Sharpner was a good guy, even if he was a little shallow. Then Erasa gave her a bone-crushing hug before she got on her horse.

Who needs to be accepted by a large group of airheads when you have two best friends?

Gohan was the last one to get a horse. He grinned as he stepped up to her, "We meet again," he said with a grin.

Videl rolled her eyes and called Geoffrey to her. He was a chestnut horse, and he was huge, which was big enough for Gohan to ride. Geoffrey was Videl's favorite because you didn't have to bribe him with treats to get him to come to you. All she had to do was call his name in a soothing voice, have open arms, and he would walk right into your hug.

She grinned as he trotted up to them, not even glancing at Gohan. Geoffrey butted Videl with his head, but she said, "No, no, not today. Gohan's riding you today. Maybe if you're extra nice, you'll get an apple." Geoffrey's ears pricked forward at the word 'apple,' seeming very interested. Videl continued in a soft voice, "He might bore or annoy you, but I promise he won't kick. Gohan, Geoffrey is my favorite horse, so _don't kick him_."

Gohan was surprised she directed this statement at him. He was so entranced by the way Videl handled the horses. He saw something in Videl's eyes that he had never seen before: joy. Pure joy.

"Weeeeellllllll," Gohan drawled out, patting the horse's neck affectionately, "If he's _your _favorite, Videl, I guess I can control myself." He smiled at Videl. That stupid cute smile.

"Alright, get on already!" Videl exclaimed, trying to unsuccessfully hold back a smile.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

As they rode, Gohan made sure of being near Videl. Not next to her exactly, but close enough to where he could hear her muttering praises in her horse's ear.

Suddenly, Geoffrey trotted up next to Videl's horse, Star. Geoffrey neighed impatiently, trying to get Videl's attention.

Videl grinned as she reached over and petted Geoffrey's mane, "You should be warned, Gohan," Videl teased, "Geoffrey _loves_ attention, but I'm afraid he's a one-woman horse."

Gohan was taken aback and said very uncharacteristically, "And I thought I was actually winning him over. Darn." Gohan snapped his fingers in mock disappointment.

Videl looked at him, startled. Then, what seemed like several minutes, she smiled slowly, like sweet molasses dripping from a spoon (A/N: Woo-hoo! That's a simile! In your _face_, ninth grade English teacher! Ahem… sorry). Gohan felt his heart skip a beat. Now two beats. Now three. Ok, back to normal now. Son Gohan actually made the Ice Queen smile! And not only that, but Gohan found himself actually liking her smile.

Gohan got to thinking about how much Videl's mood had changed from being so stern at school to being so carefree with the horses. 'It's probably the horses,' he thought. Videl's love for animals was no needle in a haystack. You could see it clearly, although it's seen rarely.

"So, Gohan," Videl's sarcastic drawl broke his line of thoughts, "You live in the mountains. Must be exciting."

Gohan gave a small smile as he replied, "You have no idea."

They spent the remainder of the ride discussing wildlife and other various topics. Least to say, Gohan thought it went rather well.

So did Videl.

TBC!

LoL! There ya go! That's my attempt at being funny. cringes never again. Well, hoped ya liked it! Sorry it sucked. The next chapter should be longer. (Hint the keyword "should") Yeah, so sorry again if it wasn't that great. Look for the next chapter next week!

P.O.G.

TBC!


	4. Vigilante

Hey everyone! How's it going? Anywho, it's been a tough week, so sorry if this chapter sucks.

Hippiechic: Your questions will be answered very shortly. Oh, and about that whole despising Freddy thing: that was supposed to be a joke. Like when your friend teases you and you shout playfully, "I hate you! You're so mean!" Yeah, so if it sounded serious, then sorry about confusing you. Oh, yeah, and thanks for your reviews!

Payne N. Uranus: P.O.G. is one of my many mottos. If you read my profile (it's not that long) you'll see what it stands for. I don't want to write it too much because I came up with it (along with the help of my friends) and I don't want anyone stealing it. Anywho, thanks for the reviews!

A-Man: Well, a month _has_ gone by in the fic, so maybe they would have gotten a little used to each other by now. But, maybe it did go a little fast….. sigh sorry, it's just that I'm a fast person and I always want to get things done. So, sorry again. Thanks for reviewing!

zfighter1989: LoL, you won't believe this, but I have a friend who _loves_ literary devices. I kicked his ass, though, so he doesn't brag much about getting an A in that section anymore. Tee-Hee. Thank for reviewing!

To all those who reviewed: Thanks a bunch!

Oh, yeah, and if Gohan never had a keen sense of hearing, then he does now! LoL

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ.

Chapter Four

"Help! Somebody help!"

Gohan whirled around, trying to figure out where the plea came from.

"Please, just don't hurt by baby!"

'It's far away,' Gohan deducted, 'Probably six blocks from here.'

"Gohan? What's wrong?" Erasa asked him. He was out with his new friends that night. They were just coming out of Kojo's (A/N: You saw that coming, didn't you? Tee-Hee.) They were about to go home when they noticed that Gohan was acting strangely.

Gohan didn't answer, however, because he was gone faster than anyone could attempt to blink.

Gohan found himself in alley. What he saw both amazed and befuddled him.

There was someone already there, kicking the crap out of the robber. The person's ki spiked as they punched the criminal in the gut. Gohan instantly knew who the person was. He almost winced as the vigilante kneed the thief in the groin, and then gave a roundhouse kick to his face, knocking him out cold. The rescuer picked something up from the ground- 'The purse,' Gohan thought- and walked over to the trembling woman, who was trying to soothe a wailing baby.

"Here you go, ma'am," a familiar female voice said gently as the woman was handed her purse, "Would you like me to walk you home?"

"Oh, thank you!" the woman sobbed, "When he pulled out that gun I didn't know what to do…"

"It's ok, not many people do," the voice said in an understanding way.

"And there's no need to walk me home. It's right across the street," the woman made a sound that resembled a bitter laugh, "And I thought this shortcut was going to be safe. I'm sticking to the regular way from now on. Thank you so much again. I owe you my life," the woman started walking away to the opposite end of the alley from where Gohan was.

"It's no trouble. I'm just glad I was here." The vigilante watched the woman make it safely across the street and into her home. Then she turned around and started walking towards the end of the alley where Gohan was.

As she neared the streetlight, Gohan noticed she was wearing regular clothes: jeans, a shirt, and a jacket. She was also wearing a black mask and a white bandana was tied around her head. She then saw Gohan and froze in her tracks, looking much like a deer in the headlights (A/N: Simile!)

"Videl?" Gohan called, "Is that you?"

Indeed it was Videl. He was absolutely sure when she grabbed his shirt front and dragged him into the alley, "Be quiet! Do you want everyone to hear you?" she hissed.

Gohan almost laughed at how inconspicuous Videl was trying to be. It was kind of cute, in a strange way.

Then Gohan realized she was saying something, "Huh?"

"What. Are. You. Doing here?" she said sternly.

Gohan grinned nervously and put a hand behind his head, "Well, I heard the woman screaming, so I came to help her."

Videl narrowed her eyes, "You just happened to be in the bad part of the neighborhood, huh?" She said disbelievingly.

"Well, no," Gohan shifted nervously from foot to foot, "I kinda… um… heard her from Kojo's."

Videl whistled with awe, "You really are an alien, aren't you?"

Gohan went rigid, his eyes widening in alarm, "How did you know that?"

Vide rolled her eyes and said slowly, as if she were talking to a child, "There's that little thing called the Cell Games. You know, where you defeated Cell and admitted you were an alien." (A/N: If some of you are mad at me for writing that Gohan admitted he's an alien, well, it _would_ be kinda awkward if you were the only "human" that could go SSJ. Does that clear it up for you?)

Gohan let out a weak laugh, "Oh, yeah… kinda forgot about that…"

Videl smiled sweetly; so sweetly it made her look like the devil she was named after. (A/N: I kinda like that line. grins proudly)

Gohan cleared his throat, and- as if to redeem himself- said, "I'm only _half_ alien, ya know."

Videl rolled her eyes again, "Yeah, and I also know that you knowing it was me wasn't a guess."

Gohan looked at her suspiciously, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means-" Videl began, but then she looked at him, her mouth still open with words she was going to say. Then, as if changing her mind, shook her head and said, "Nothing. It means absolutely nothing."

There was an awkward silence that just waited to be broken, expanding more and more until it consumed them both and soon moved on to the rest of the city. Then Gohan, who seemed to fear for both the city's inhabitants and for his and Videl's well being, said, "Why aren't you in the police force?"

Videl snickered, "Yeah, as if they'd take me. Not after what my-" Videl stopped, her blue eyes widening. There she goes again, blabbing about matters that she didn't want anyone else to know. The strange thing was, it only happened around Gohan. Was this another weird alien skill?

':Maybe it's love:'

'What? That's ridiculous!'

'So is your idea of an alien power that can make people shout out their secrets:'

'And so is love! I will never fall in love because there is no such thing! Now if you will shut up and leave me alone, I can find a way to get my foot out of my mouth and get out of here!'

"Videl?" Gohan was saying, "Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Videl's façade returned, along with her cold and distrusting remarks. "More like an idiot," she said, and saw with a hint of regret the hurt expression on Gohan's handsome features, "If you tell anyone who I am, I will not hesitate to break my foot off in your ass." (A/N: LoL! I think that's the funniest threat I've ever heard! I crack _up_ whenever I hear it!)

Gohan put his hands up, "I swear, I won't tell anyone!" Then, with a sense of revenge, he added, "Now I hope you don't join the force. Who knows what will happen if they give you a gun?"

The corners of Videl's mouth twitched upward.

Gohan saw this however, and decided to go on, "Was that a smile, Your Highness? I didn't know an Ice Queen could smile!"

Videl punched him in the jaw so hard it made his head snap to the side. It didn't hurt him as much as it hurt her, however, because Videl stepped back and shook her hand to get the feeling back.

"Are you ok?" Gohan asked worriedly, "I'm sorry, I should have-"

He stopped when Videl held up her uninjured hand, "You may be stronger than me now, but I _will_ grow stronger. And when I'm strong enough, I will beat you, Son Gohan. Count on it." With that, Videl walked away.

When Videl was out of earshot, Gohan said with a small smile, "I'm looking forward to it, Videl. I'm looking forward to it."

TBC!

Hmmm…. I must say, I think I like this chapter the most, along with chapter two. But, I dunno, that's just me. I'm sorry if it was kinda choppy. Like I said, it's been a tough week. There was just so much I wanted to write, but I just didn't know how to write it. I hope it was ok. Alrighty, then, until next time!

P.O.G.

Bye-Z!


	5. Saved

Hi everyone! I just wanna say thank you for all the reviews you guys gave me. I seriously thought that the last chapter was going to get me some flames, but I was wrong!

Oh, yeah, and sorry this chapter is late. It's 'cause last week, I was at this 24 hr fundraiser for cancer patients called "Relay for Life" where you have a bunch of teams and at least one member from each team _has_ to walk/run until the next member's turn is up. For my team, it was like "It's not scheduled, so walk or run whenever you feel like it." For some strange reason, I felt like walking/running a lot and so I was really sore and tired and didn't feel like doing anything and I should stop talking now. :)

Hippiechic: you stayed up late just to read my story? I'm touched! Oh yeah, and about that whole "take your time when you write" well, the problem is this: I'm always in such a rush to get things done. If I don't get them done soon, I might get bored with it and never finish. So, yeah, it's not that I haven't tried, mind you. In fact, if you read my other stories, you'll see a _big_ difference between them and this story. Also, I think it's because I plan out certain events and I don't have any "filler" events, so…. Does that make sense?

Yami Umi: so, what language was that?

A-man: Videl stronger than Gohan? Are you kidding? The characters might be a little OOC from time to time, but not _that_ OOC.

To All Those Who Reviewed: Thanks a kajillion!

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or Nike or any of the books I mention in this chapter!

Chapter Five

"Onto other matters," the news reporter announced on the TV, "It seems Son City's mysterious crime fighter is at it again."

Gohan continued to do his homework, ignoring the too loud television. Although, such loud volumes do make it hard to concentrate. Gohan pondered on whether or not he should tell Goten to turn it down, but decided against it in the end. It doesn't hurt to spoil your little brother now and then, especially with ChiChi as the mother.

"The well heard of vigilante was seen dropping off two criminals in front of the police station earlier this evening, and it just so happens that one of the officers took a picture of her."

'Her'? Gohan looked up and was not prepared for what he saw.

Gohan did a double take. What he saw on the television screen was way beyond belief. It was Videl! Well, not everyone knew that, except for Gohan. In the act of her turning around, the officer snapped a shot of Videl's profile. She had on her black mask, of course, along with black pants, a faded, worn camo jacket with a black top underneath, and- for some peculiar reason- bright white Nike tennis shoes. 'That's a little obvious,' Gohan thought, 'Wouldn't she try to attract as little attention as possible?'

"And back to you Rob," the reporter was saying, evidently concluding his story on "Son City's mysterious crime fighter."

"Thanks Jim," Rob said. He grinned, his pearly whites whiter than usual, "You know, Jim, we've finally decided to come up with a name for this do-gooder. It's actually a running gag here among the staff."

"Really, Rob?" Jim said, forcing a smile. Clearly, Jim did not like being left out on a joke, "Do tell, Rob, what do you call her?"

"We call her Nike, because she's so victorious, _and_ because of those shoes she always wears," Rob laughed at the joke, which made the viewers believe he was the one who made it up. (A/N: In case y'all don't know and are _super_ materialistic, 'Nike' is Greek for 'victory.')

Gohan chuckled. 'Nike,' he thought to himself, 'That's cute.'

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

It was an exceptionally slow school day for Son Gohan. In order not to fall asleep due to the teacher's monotonous drawl, Gohan forced himself to look around the classroom and see what other students were doing. Most had given into the temptation of sleep, while others tried keeping their eyes open in order to see the notes they were writing.

"Ok, class," Mrs. Khuddah (A/N: Tee-hee) "Now about your group projects." The entire class groaned, but the English teacher went on anyway, "It is a very simple project. You will be in groups of four- _assigned_ groups," the class groaned again, "And your group will have to do a report on a book of your choosing. I expect these reports to be _college_ material, people. You are all seniors and this class _is_ AP."

While reading out the names, Mrs. Khuddah also handed the report's rubric over to the students. "Group number six consists of Sharpner, Gohan, Erasa, and Videl," Mrs. Khuddah handed the rubric to Gohan, who was cringing.

The hairs on the back of Gohan's neck started to prickle. Someone was watching him, and Gohan guessed not with admiration. Gohan turned to find Videl's glare, giving him the feeling that group projects were dangerous.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"I really think we should write about _To Kill a Mockingbird_," Sharpner said loudly.

The response was his three group members yelling at him simultaneously: "Sharpner! Are you stupid?" "That's a tenth grade reading book! Hell, I read it in the _fifth grade_!" "Sharpner, I don't think Mrs. Khuddah would consider it a logical or an acceptable choice." (A/N: Can you guess who said what? Tee-hee.)

Group number six was in the library, discussing which book would be a "logical and acceptable choice" for their book report.

Erasa narrowed her eyes and prepared to defend herself as she announced her choice, "I think _Of Mice and Men_ is good book."

Videl rolled her eyes, "Well of course it's a good book, Erasa. I just don't think Mrs. Khuddah would like it. I think she wants us to choose something she's actually _read_." (A/N: Oh, shot _down!_ LoL, oh, and I haven't read _Of Mice and Men_, but I know what it's about and I do plan on reading it. Tee-hee.)

Gohan opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Videl held up a hand and said, "We are _not_ doing _The Divine Comedy_."

Gohan almost frowned but managed to compose himself, "I wasn't going to say that."

Videl rolled her eyes.

"I suggest we choose _Paradise Lost_," Gohan said, ready for whatever Videl threw at him-

Videl looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded, "You know, that might be a good idea."

-except for that.

Gohan was so shocked, he couldn't even ask "What?" He just sat there staring at her. Did she just agree with him?

"Boy, Gohan, you sure do have a big obsession with epic poems," Videl continued.

Uh, oh. Videl was getting an edge in her voice. Gohan had the feeling his moment was about to be ruined.

"Hey I have an idea!" Videl smiled brightly and snapped her fingers with mock enthusiasm, "Since you like epic poems so much, why don't we discuss _The Aeneid_, or _The Iliad_? Because you know as much as I do that _everybody_ loves epic poems, and _everyone_ loves to hear about their tragic flaws and weaknesses." Videl's look grew cold once again and her voice was even colder, "These things are so overdone, Gohan."

Gohan looked at her, ready to give her the most sinister glare he could muster. His glare vanished, however, as he looked at Videl. There was something in her eyes that made Gohan instantly forgive her for all the mean things she ever said to him, from the first moment they met to now. Was it a look of kindness? Of care?

It was a look of understanding.

Sharpner yawned, shattering Gohan's reverie. "I say we call it a night," he said, and stood up. He flipped his long blonde hair over his shoulder and said to his group, "I say we meet here same time tomorrow to decide on a book. Is that ok with everyone?"

Everyone nodded and stood up, grateful to be done for the night. They all wanted to go home and get away from the library filled with suffocating knowledge and bloodcurdling wisdom. (A/N: Oh, foreshadow!)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Nike casually shifted from shadow to shadow, no one taking notice of her. After all, she was invisible.

She looked at her watch and sighed. 'It's two AM, Videl,' she told herself, 'It's time to go home.'

Videl nodded to herself and made her way towards home. As she stepped into an alley, she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned around just in time to block the fist aimed at her head. She shoved the attacker down and backed away, giving herself time to calm down from the surprise and to also size up her opponent.

The man stood up, and Videl noticed it was the guy she took down the night Gohan saw her. She glared at him, "You should be in jail," she said, trying to make her voice hard and distant without letting the sound of the man's laughter get to her.

"Heh, I know a guy," was all he said before Videl felt someone grab her from behind. She stabilized herself, then threw the guy behind her over her shoulder. She kicked his kidney and his head. Deciding he was out for the count, Videl looked back at her original attacker.

He was gone.

'Great,' she thought, 'You always do that! Learn to focus your attention on more than one guy!'

Videl took a deep stance, looking all around her for any sign that something wasn't right.

There! A shadow moved! Videl jumped at the shadow, knocking out yet another attacker. This one had a knife.

"Do you know how much it cost me to get out of jail, _Nike_?" the criminal said her nickname with mock and disgust. Videl heard him spit. He continued talking like a snake, "Let me give you a clue."

Videl was knocked to the ground, feeling more than two hands grabbing her. She flailed her arms and legs, trying to land a hit, trying to get up, trying to _move_.

'No,' Videl thought calmly. 'I won't let this happen to me.' She head-butted the guy on top of her, hearing a sickening crack as her head connected with his jaw. He got up, allowing Videl to have room to kick anyone who came in her line of aim.

She managed to get another guy off of her before being pushed back down into the ground. Her arms, legs, and neck were all pinned, Someone was sitting on top of her.

Videl tried to look around her. 'There's gotta be at _least_ ten guys here. How did I let this happen? _Why_ did I let this happen?'

"You know," a demon said, Videl not caring to find out which, "The boss says we just need to bring her alive. He didn't say we couldn't have a little fun with her."

The rest of the men chuckled in agreement.

Videl clenched her eyes shut, now putting every inch of her being into getting out of the filthy fight without being touched.

'No, no, no, NO, NO, NO!'

"NO!"

The action around Videl stilled. It was Videl who just cried out… wasn't it?

Videl felt someone being lifted off her- or rather, _thrown_ off her- for she heard a crash behind her and the grip on her arm lessened.

Soon, Videl was able to move. She wasted no time in getting up and beating the shit out of the remaining attackers.

Once the criminals were all unconscious, Videl looked around, trying to find her savior.

"Gohan?"

Gohan turned around. Were his eyes teal?

'Not anymore,' Videl thought, noticing his eyes were now the same, calming onyx from before.

"Videl, are you alright?" Gohan walked towards Videl. He ran a large, gentle hand over the side of her face which bore a huge, bleeding gash.

'I didn't even know I was cut,' Videl thought, wincing as even the slightest pressure from Gohan's fingers shot lightning bolts across her face.

Gohan cringed, "Sorry, Videl. That's a nasty cut." Gohan ripped a piece of cloth from the bottom of his shirt and lightly dabbed at her wound. Gohan was surprised she just stood there. Then again, she was in a life threatening situation. He definitely had a right to be worried, though, when he noticed her deep blue eyes were dull, as if the light had been sucked out of them.

"Videl, where do you live? We need to get you home."

Videl looked at Gohan with those unseeing eyes. She looked at his concerned look, his furrowed brow. Then she remembered those attackers, their looks anything _but_ concerned.

"Why is it, Gohan," Videl said, grimacing as her voice wavered, "That men can be two different things, yet be exactly the same species?"

Gohan was about to tell her that he wasn't really the same species- only half- when he saw tears streaming down Videl's face.

Videl started to sob, not caring if Gohan saw her in such a state. She was almost raped- doesn't she deserve to show her feelings?

Gohan embraced her, holding her close, "Shhh, it's ok Videl. Nothing's going to hurt you. I'm here. You'll be ok." When Videl didn't push away, Gohan rubbed her back gently, hoping to sooth the fear out of her.

Gohan nor Videl knew how long they stood like that. None of them really cared. Who doesn't like to feel safe?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Gohan followed Videl into her house. Well, it wasn't really a house. It was more like an abandoned shack disguised as a house. There were flowers everywhere- 'Videl's doing,' Gohan thought- though there were random holes in the roof and half the walls weren't fully plastered. There was a small, rusty kitchen, a room with a couch and a TV, and a bedroom with room for one, small person.

Videl gestured for Gohan to take a seat at the kitchen table. He noticed that one of the chair's legs were wobbly, but decided to sit in it anyway.

Videl handed Gohan a glass of milk. Gohan almost smiled at the glass: it had a cartoon sheep on it with the word "Baa" written under it. Gohan noticed Videl had a cow on hers that said "Moo."

They sat there for a while, just sipping milk. They were rather content, actually, but they both knew they had to say something, or else something awful was going to happen and they would never say what they wanted to say.

"Thanks."

Gohan looked up. Her voice was so quiet, Gohan didn't know whether she actually said it or not. "Um, excuse me?"

Videl cleared her throat and said again, "Thank you, for saving me. Now I owe you my life twice."

"It's no big deal, really," Gohan flushed.

"No big deal," Videl repeated disbelievingly, "Right. Tell me, Gohan, just how many times _have _you saved the world?"

Gohan shifted uncomfortably in his wobbly seat, "Um… I don't really know… quite a few I guess…"

Videl gave a small smile and said softly, "And people thank you by naming a city after you and giving you big house with a big statue. Do people come up to you and say to you personally, 'Thank you for my life?'"

Gohan shrugged, "Well, sure-"

"Do any of them try to get to know you?"

Gohan was caught off guard, "What?"

"Do they try to be your friend? An _honest_ friend? Not someone who likes you for money."

Gohan thought for a bit. Millions of people have told him 'thank you,' but not one had ever tried to get to know him. Sure, they all knew Son Gohan- Savior of the World. But they didn't know Son Gohan- Boy Trying to be Normal.

Gohan shook his head and said meekly, "No, I guess not."

"Well, I guess we have something in common then."

"What's that?"

Videl gave him a gentle smile, "We never had any real friends- until now."

Gohan smiled back, deciding not to mention Piccolo, or Vegeta, or Bulma, or any of the Z-Fighters. He decided that Videl was the one who needed a real friend, not him.

As he walked out the door later that night, he heard Videl call his name and he turned around.

She gave him one of the most beautiful smiles he'd ever seen, and she said, "_The Divine Comedy_ is my favorite book."

TBC!

Woo-Hoo! Was that longer than usual? I hope so! I hope you aren't mad at me for writing in all those books and all. I just wanted to show you how deep Videl could really go. Hmm… I dunno about this chapter… seems "iffy" to me… oh well! Talk to ya later!

P.O.G.

Bye-Z!


End file.
